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Lincecum finished his up-and-down year by winning five of his last six starts following the skid. He beat the Braves way back on April 11 in his second start of the year, then lost on the road Aug. 5. Atlanta catcher Brian McCann has been one of several Braves to regularly hit Lincecum, going 8 for 21 with a home run and three doubles against the hard-throwing righty.
All the numbers and matchups mean little now. The Braves are playing to extend their special year for Cox. Like Atlanta, the Giants made it this far without a superstar like their old Barry Bonds-led teams.
"This year we made every effort to put together the best team we could and do everything we could to improve on last year's record and be contenders all through the season," said second-year San Francisco managing partner Bill Neukom. "So far so good is all you can say."
Bochy has said Lincecum has emerged a better pitcher because of his struggles, which the 10th overall draft pick in 2006 never experienced in his days at the University of Washington or in a brief minor league career.
Lincecum's losing streak began with that start at Atlanta. Cox knows that's all in the past.
"What's a bad month for him?" Cox joked. "He's tough. He's as good a pitcher as you ever want to see."
Lincecum's unorthodox delivery and quirks -- he doesn't ice his arm after starts -- have earned him nicknames such as the "Franchise" and "Freak" along the way.
He certainly has grown up this year, starting from his offseason marijuana bust back home in Washington state and through his lows of August.
"He's ready," third baseman Pablo Sandoval said. "I think he's going to win everything right now. It's the right moment. He'll get focused. You've got good and bad moments in the season, and you just go out and do your job."
[Associated Press;
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